Hand held computers are growing in complexity. A particular class of hand held computers known as portable data terminals (PDTs) are now used in a wide variety of applications including shipping and inventory applications. Many PDTs now incorporate bar code reading functionality for reading bar codes.
Another class of hand held computers, known as personal data assistants (PDAs) are now widely used in offices, and also in industrial settings such as in shipping or inventory applications. Many PDTs currently available have the form factor formerly associated with PDAs. PDAs, like PDTs often are equipped with bar code reading functionality.
The bar code reading functionality in PDTs is provided typically either by a solid state imaging assembly, coupled to a software decode module or by a laser scan module coupled to a software decode module. When a bar code reading functionality is provided by an imaging assembly including a two dimensional image sensor it is common for a portable computer, whether a PDT or a PDA to have image capture functionality.
Yet another class of hand held computers is the cellular telephone. With increasing frequency cellular telephones are taking on increased functionality formerly associated with PDAs and PDTs. For example, it is common now for cellular phones to have image capture functionality.
It is also common now for all types of hand held computers—whether PDTs, PDAs, cellular phones or of another class to have displays, keyboards, and web browsing functionality. A web browser incorporated in a hand held computer allows the operator of the hand held computer to navigate between web pages.
While the functionality of hand held computer devices continues to improve, the housings for such devices have remained relatively constant. A significant exception is the computer housing described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,918 entitled, “Ergonomic Housing For Micro Computer,” owned by the assignee of the present invention. In that patent a specially designed hand held computer housing is described which is shaped complementary with a human hand, significantly improving the ease of use of the computer device.
There continues to be need for an improved housing design for hand held computers, which adapts the computer device for comfort and for ease of use in a variety of different applications.